RD

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

retrospectives : And so on this Three Kings Day, the Epiphany, our holiday season officially draws to a close---although our family tends to keep up most of our decorations and the twinkly lights through most of the winter. I think they help to brighten the darkest and coldest months of our year. (posted Jan 6, 2:28pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

samasource : I have tithed in the past---not to a specific church but rather to charitable and nonprofit organizations whose work I admired and believed in supporting. When the recession hit us hard, however, my good intentions fell by the wayside because my paychecks were needed to fund another charity, that is, my own family. (posted Jan 5, 2:08pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

greening up the new year : We chose this holiday spot for several reasons beyond the obviously gorgeous setting. For one, pets are enthusiastically welcomed, so the fur bundles were able to make the trip with us. Additionally, we really liked the owners' mission and approach---from the restoration of the original buildings, the solar power, the on-site recycling and composting, the use of green cleaning products, ... (posted Jan 4, 2:45pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

i am ready : Because I use those two little words a lot, too much. So much that I can almost feel my muscles tense as "[I] have to..." leave my mouth. These words introduce a sentence that states almost always the opposite of what I WANT to do (for example, "I have to work/make an appointment/pay bills/clean the bathroom...). Furthermore, "have to" particularly ... (posted Jan 3, 2:24pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

new beginnings : Perhaps some of the crab and avocado pieces are a tad off center, but that didn't seem to bother anyone as everyone gave my first attempt at DIY sushi the big thumbs up. So good they were I think I may have found myself a new culinary hobby for 2010. :-) A belly full of sushi and this cute, thoroughly ... (posted Jan 1, 10:07am)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

new year's eating : 2010 is going to be a good year. I can just FEEL it---LOTS of wonderful things coming for everyone! However, if I can increase the odds with a little extra good eating, bring on the traditions! :-) It seems like every culture has its own favorite foods for eating on New Year's Day. Growing up in Pennsylvania Dutchland, the tradition ... (posted Dec 30, 1:02pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

unsubscribe---just do it! : In general these days I find the Internet overwhelming. Of course there is limitless useful and thoroughly readable material available to keep my eyes strained to perpetuity, but when is enough enough? I feel like I've reached data overload. Thus, all the pages I bookmarked with the intent of revisiting one day (but again NEVER do)? Deleted. "Dusty" Firefox folders ... (posted Dec 29, 11:14am)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

holiday sweets : In the end, too, the Grinch was foiled because, on the 24th, the bank provisionally credited our account the amount that was stolen a couple weeks earlier---even more reason to celebrate! :-) (posted Dec 28, 1:04pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

o come all ye faithful : The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men. ---Longfellow May your holiday season be filled with peace, love, and joy. Merry Christmas! (posted Dec 25, 7:58am)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

waiting for christmas : Peaceful was the night Wherein the Prince of Light His reign of peace upon the earth began. ---Milton (posted Dec 24, 12:18pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

christmas forecast : The current forecast for the rest of the week is downright grim: Rain/Thunder/Wind, Thundershowers, Rain, Showers, Scattered Showers, Rain, Rain. You get the picture. Doesn't exactly conjure up images of jingle bells and reindeer and chestnuts roasting on an open fire. (posted Dec 22, 2:27pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

christmas bookpile : The beginning of every December, I add a pile of books to the basket I keep next to the bed. Their covers are worn and their pages well thumbed, but rereading these familiar stories is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. (posted Dec 21, 1:28pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

in the genes : After my husband and I made our way back to Islamabad and could contact our friends and family, my mother expressed frustration that my father had spent the time while they waited for news of us in the kitchen, baking biscotti, making pots of soup, and frying up skillets of eggs and potatoes for breakfast. She couldn't understand how he ... (posted Dec 20, 3:41pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

holiday reboot : The paperwork has been faxed, scanned, and mailed, but I have no idea how long it will take before our account will be credited. That said, we've done everything we can to right the thief's wrong, so it is time to put this horrible experience, along with a not-so-fabulous 2009, behind us and work on getting back some of the ... (posted Dec 17, 2:37pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

a real-life grinch : I've never been to Houston. I live thousands of miles from Texas, on another continent, on the other side of a rather large ocean. I most certainly had not been shopping at Kroger's in Houston the day before. That would have been the Grinch who wiped out our bank account. (posted Dec 14, 1:54am)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

"the north wind doth blow..." : Regular readers of the blog know that I collect women's magazines from the first half of the twentieth century because I love the glimpse into our history, the sort of which is typically not covered in textbooks. I love to see what people were eating, wearing, making, reading, watching, loving, and needing. Much has changed obviously, but so much too ... (posted Dec 11, 3:28pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

anniversaries : For much of my young adulthood, I never thought I would get married, or that I wanted to. But I was lucky enough to have that chance encounter in a cafe in a city far away from my home with a person who changed my mind, who could love me and think me gorgeous just the way I am each ... (posted Dec 10, 1:26pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

homemade holidays #1 : Anyone else remember these magazine Christmas trees? Collecting the stacks of Reader's Digests from your grandparents? I was instantly transported back to 1975 and could suddenly feel those matte printed pages between my Elmer's glue-tipped fingers. (posted Dec 9, 1:42pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

to shop or not to shop : Pretty crazy idea, eh, ESPECIALLY at this time of year. But after the second bout of long-term unemployment in the past decade, our family has learned, much out of necessity, that a trip to the mall or an hour on amazon.com is not always the best answer for us. (posted Dec 8, 2:41pm)

The Happy Recessionist by RD (20)

holidailies and gifting : Because I decided several months ago to make our family's gifts this year, our free days and nights of late have been busy putting the finishing touches on several projects and getting the international packages ready to send in the next few days. Despite a bit of grumbling yesterday when I may have said to my husband, "Remind me next ... (posted Dec 7, 2:35pm)